The invention relates to an articulated joint.
From German Patent No. DE 195 31 278 C1 an articulated joint is known in which a tubular sleeve and a stay are mounted rotatable with radial play on a through-bolt which serves as a bearing axle. The bearing axle is held without play inside the structural part by means of two separate bearing bushes which each surround a protruding longitudinal section of the bearing axle. The substantially cylindrical bearing bushes have for this purpose a conically inclined end region which engages in a bearing gap between the mounted structural part and the through-bolt which (gap) is widened out through a chamfer and is subject to play. The bearing bushes are each pressed by their conically inclined end region which is designed to be spring-elastic in the radial direction into the bearing gap by means of axial force action and are then pressed through the wedge action by overcoming the radial play against the outer sleeve face of the through-bolt.
From U.S. Patent Application No. US 2002/0125049A1 a seat weight measuring device is known having a bearing structure. This comprises an articulated joint with a push-in bush which has different shaped spring sections whereby the radial play of a bolt mounted in the bush is compensated.
Simple articulated joints in the form of radial rotary joints as used for example between levers of a seat height adjuster in motor vehicles, normally consist of an axially secured articulated bolt which engages through bores in bushes formed on the levers and connects these together for rotation. Sufficient minimum play must be provided between at least one bush and the bolt to allow a relative rotational movement between the interconnected levers and to ensure easy assembly between the levers and the joint.
As a result of the minimum radial play required there may result, for example through vibrations, relative radial movements between the bolt and the bush which can lead to rattling noises and thus loss of comfort. Furthermore the relative movements and resulting frequent load changes can lead to fatigue arising in the material of the bush or joint bolt. A further reduction in the play to eliminate relative radial movements is however often not possible since otherwise a press-fit arises and no or only a restricted rotational movement between the bush and joint bolt is possible in the joint.
The object of the invention is to provide a play compensation element for an articulated joint of the type mentioned at the beginning which with simple assembly of the joint and with low manufacturing costs even with wide tolerances in the joint permanently suppresses relative radial movements between the joint parts without the risk of the joint bolt or joint pipe and joint bush canting and becoming jammed.